Kristie’s roommate and good friend, Pat, was a writer, actor, and studio musician. She was idolized by a small entourage of her peers, like minded men and women who were trying to break into show business.
It seemed that Pat had a lot to offer, but she was a type that did not receive much attention. There wasn’t much call for butch dykes back in the day. But starlets – that was a different situation.
Pat always had a knock out girl friend on her arm. The one she had now was a beautiful brunette who did hand and foot modeling for fashion magazines. Karen always slept in clean white socks, gloves, and a loose white t-shirt. She kept her extremities well lubricated and manicured to protect her assets.
The habit all of Pat’s girlfriends seemed to have was men on the side which made her furious! Karen talked to Kristie about her professional pursuits in life and the topic of Pat was not anywhere in the future’s radar. This in turn made Kristie furious because of her loyalty and love for Pat.
She wished she could have been gay for Pat. As it stood right now Kristie was Pat’s “housewife.” She vacuumed, cleaned the bathroom, did the dishes, made the beds, did the laundry, made the noodle dishes Pat loved to eat, dusted, and shopped as was needed. Pat would come home from a day of classes or auditions to a spotless house and a home cooked meal.
Kristie put on a fresh coat of bright red lipstick, a black push up bra, and a torn white t-shirt over a pair of tight jean cutoffs. She carefully lit a cigarette and took a puff leaving the red stained filter to sit in the curve of the clean glass ashtray Pat favored. She also made a pot of fresh coffee and poured herself a cup. She left the same red lipstick stain on her coffee cup. When Pat got home, she was amused and titillated by the set up. That lipstick trick was always sure to please her.
But Kristie couldn’t be gay. She tried, she really tried, but she only liked men. She imagined this was what it was like for many of her friends as they were coming of age and experimenting with different lifestyles as rebellious youth are wont to do. In her friends’ minds they were surprised to discover and verify that they liked the same sex – not the opposite.
Karen confided in Kristie and then warned her, “If you tell Pat, she won’t believe you and it’ll be your head, not mine.”
“What a bitch!” Kristie thought. She was so loyal to Pat that she wouldn’t even think of not telling her. Kristie prefaced her remarks by repeating Karen’s threat, but Karen was right. Pat blamed the messenger. Kristie was black balled out of the lesbian lair.
(First published 5/2/13)
